Cathedral of Sant'Alessandro – Bergamo

Description

The Cathedral of Sant'Alessandro, Bergamo, is located in piazza Duomo in the Città Alta, flanking the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Named after the city's patron saint, Alexander, who tradition holds was martyred in the early 4^th century in Bergamo, the church was built in the early Christian era. Excavations uncovered a primary structure from the 5^th century, dedicated to Saint Vincent of Saragossa, built adjacent to 1^st-century Roman villas.
The modern church was built in the second half of the 15^th century to a design by Florentine Filarete, but it was not until 1561, when the Church of Sant'Alessandro in Colonna was destroyed, that the relics of the Roman saint were brought to the cathedral. The church retained dedications to both saints until 1704, when the name of Vincent, whose remains were not preserved in the church, was removed.
The cathedral was completed by Vincenzo Scamozzi in the early 17^th century, and underwent renovations on the dome and apse at the end of the century by Carlo Fontana. Further modifications were completed during the 19th century, including the façade, whose current neoclassical form was inaugurated on the feast day of Saint Alexander, 26 August, in 1889.

The church houses works by important artists such as Andrea Previtali, Giovan Battista Moroni, Filippo Juvarra.

Position on map